1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mailbox. More particularly, the present invention relates to a mail receptacle for attaching to a periphery of a mail slot of a door.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for mailboxes have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,965 to Maddox, Jr. teaches a main plate A, having a letter-opening and provided with bosses b, and with a portion, E, having an opening, e, which receives a screw, the projecting head of which receives the blow of the knocker and sustains the wear resulting from the said stroke, the name-plate hinged to plate A and having their a portion, I, and the bolts having their points fitted to be threaded into bosses b and their heads constructed to receive the letter bag.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,965 to Maddox, Jr. teaches a mail slot pouch assembly that comprises a supporting bracket which is fixed to planar surfaces surrounding a mail slot in a building door, a framework and a transparent plastic bag secured to the framework, and a framework being removably supported by the bracket and positioned to receive mail therethrough into the bag to prevent the same from falling on the building floor adjacent the door.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,512 to Moore, Sr. et al. teaches a mail receptacle in the form of a pouch which attaches to the periphery of a mail slot on the interior of a door or wall of a residence or building to receive mail therein which is inserted through the slot. Part or all of the pouch material is transparent to provide a visual indication of mail delivery. A zipper opening is provided in the pouch to retrieve delivered mail from the pouch. A flap is provided as extra protection against air drafts.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,656 to Smith et al. teaches a rural mailbox indicator and security lock including an elongated rod designed to be moved between three positions, a first position indicating that the box is unlocked but no mail is there for pick-up, a second position wherein the box is open and mail is in the box to be picked up and a third position indicating that the box is securely locked against unauthorized entry. The elongated rod is rotatably mounted on a cam which is adjacent a locking mechanism, with the cam having a cut out portion designed to receive a latch of the locking mechanism in the third mentioned position of the elongated rod described above, with the cam further including an arcuate rim designed to inter-engage with a catch formed on the mail box door so that in the position of the elongated rod corresponding to locked condition, the door is prevented from being opened until the locking mechanism is released by a key.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,075 to Burns teaches the invention relates to receptacles for the collection of mail and more specifically to the collection of mail through a mail slot. According to the invention there is provided a mail receptacle means assembly consisting of a rectangular open weave basket with open top and having means for mounting to a bracket fixed to a door just below a mail slot. The receptacle means is mounted in such a way that the door can be of the overhead type such as a garage door so that it can be moved from the vertical to the horizontal orientation. The mail receptacle means and its mounting are designed to allow the receptacle means to maintain its orientation such that the open top of the receptacle means faces the ceiling no matter what position the door is in. The mail receptacle means mounting is designed also to allow the receptacle means to be removed from the door for placing onto a desk or other mail sorting or collection location.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,169 to Aurness et al. teaches a mail box including a rectangular box with a receiver's door side-hinged and locked by a combination lock, to and within the frame of a bottom-hinged deliver door. The bottom-hinged delivery door is locked at the top and side and opened only by a delivery person with a special release tool which is thrust into a side chamber of the unit and forces a latch gate sideways which draws a latch from the side of the door and simultaneously transmits the force of the entrance, through tangential movement of a release rod, to an L-shaped connector to a release cable which extends through rollers to the top latch of the delivery door. Spring action automatically closes both latches. Supplemental brace hinges are included to enable the delivery door to be held rigidly horizontal when open. Automatic means to indicate a package has been delivered is provided by a signal finger out the front of the side chamber which is activated by connecting means to the release rod and is released by hand. Other hand operated signal means are provided to indicate, by an arm extending out the front or one extending out the top that there is a package or letter in the box. A letter signal wheel in the receiver's door, activated automatically by the letter slot, indicates a letter delivery by showing a certain color.
A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,226 to Franceschino teaches a mail slot pouch apparatus for use with a door that has a mail slot therein. The apparatus includes a planar frame element for framing an interior opening of the mail slot. The planar frame element includes a plurality of frame apertures. Screws are employed for attaching the planar frame element through the frame apertures onto the door. A pouch assembly is attached to the door by the planar frame element. The pouch assembly includes a first opening which includes a pair of tubular edges which include a pair of rigid rods inserted into the tubular edges. The pouch assembly also includes a second opening which permits mail to be removed from the pouch assembly. The pouch assembly further includes a plurality of pouch apertures that are placed in registration with the frame apertures in the planar frame element for installation of the pouch assembly and the planar frame element onto the door by the fastening assemblies. The second opening may include a drawstring assembly located at a bottom of the assembly. The drawstring assembly includes a string and a lock element for locking the string in a predetermined position around the second opening. Alternatively, a zipper assembly may be located in the pouch assembly for permitting selective access to mail retained in the pouch assembly. The zipper assembly may be located on a sidewall of the pouch assembly.
A EIGHTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,272 to Fewer teaches a mail slot receiving device for capturing and retaining mail positioned through a mail slot. The inventive device includes a mounting assembly securable beneath a mail slot. A flexible receiving assembly is coupled to the mounting assembly for receiving mail positioned through the mail slot. The receiving assembly will flexibly deform to retain mail therewithin during movement of the device such as occurs when the device is secured to a garage door.
AN NINTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,053 to Cirimele teaches a mail slot box includes a bottom, opposite sides, a semi-circular back, and an open top. A mounting flange extends along the front edges of the bottom and sides for mounting behind a mail slot and collecting mail delivered therethrough. The semi-circular back causes the mail to rotate and stack in an orderly fashion without binding or bunching up. When mounted behind a mail slot on a garage door, the semi-circular back provides a concave surface for holding the mail and preventing it from falling out when the garage door is lifted to a horizontal open position.
A TENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,117 to Illguth teaches a locking receptacle and a locking device for securing a mailbox, package delivery box, or other receptacle requiring a single opening of the receptacle door for a mail person or package delivery person to insert a package being delivered and upon subsequent closing of the door locking until unlocked by a person having a key or combination therefor to receive the delivery. The locking device mounts to the inside of the receptacle and has an arm which is pivotally attached to the door of the receptacle and to a reciprocally pivotal locking disk. A first pivoting lever is positioned to engage a slot in the periphery of the locking disk when the door is closed so as to restrain the locking disk and the door in a closed position. A spring-biased, reciprocally pivotal counting disk is arranged to turn with the locking disk as the door is opened and to lock in that position by means of a second pivoting lever which engages a slot in the periphery of the counting disk. The first and second levers are interconnected such that the first lever will engage the slot in the locking disk when the door is closed only when the second lever is engaged in the slot in the counting disk. A key or combination type lock has a movable reset arm which when in the unlocked position contacts both levers to remove them from engagement with their respective slots to reset the locking device and upon moving to the locked position arms the locking device for subsequent single opening and closing operation of the receptacle door. Versions having linear acting locking and counting members are disclosed which operate similarly.
AN ELEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,264 to Keller teaches a mailbox has a housing with an internal chamber for receiving mail and a mailbox door attached for movement with respect to the housing between a closed position for enclosing the internal chamber and an open position for exposing the internal chamber. A door actuating mechanism is attached to the mailbox and is operable to assist in remotely opening and closing the door by a mail carrier. The door actuating mechanism includes a transmitter, a door mounting section connected to the door; an electrical actuator body fixed with respect to the mailbox housing; and an actuator shaft mounted for movement with respect to the actuator body. The shaft has a proximal end portion movably mounted in the actuator body and a distal end portion connected to the door mounting section for opening and closing the door upon movement of the shaft. A receiver is electrically coupled to the actuator for causing the actuator to open or close the mailbox door upon receipt of a signal from the transmitter. A signal flag is pivotally attached to the mailbox housing at a pivot joint and includes a lower portion that extends below the pivot joint when the flag is in a raised position. A flag lowering mechanism has a first end connected to the door for movement therewith and a second end for engagement with the lower portion of the flag. With this arrangement, movement of the door from the closed position to the open position causes the second end to engage and push against the lower end of the flag to thereby pivot the flag to a lowered position. A hollow base supports the mailbox and houses the receiver and actuator body. A battery pack is located within the hollow base for providing electrical power to the receiver and actuator body. The battery pack can be recharged by a solar panel mounted at an upper end of the base. A signal light can be provided on the mailbox to supplement or replace the signal flag.
A TWELFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,519 to McClure teaches a modular precast decorative security mailbox column has a base, a midsection, and a top section stacked on one another to define a completed column. The midsection of the column defines an interior compartment and mail deposited through the mail receptacle of the column falls into the interior compartment where it can be retrieved through a rear door in the midsection. The decorative mailbox column is thus economical to install, attractive in appearance, and provides security and privacy against thief and mail tampering.
A THIRTEENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,628 B1 to McClure teaches a single-door locking mailbox that includes a housing having an open end and a door pivotally mounted to the housing for closing and opening the end. The door can be fully open, near closed but not locked or fully closed. A locking assembly, with a latch which can be placed in either the locked or unlocked position with a key, is attached to the door. A catch is attached at one end to the inside of the enclosure and has a camming surface and a hole at the free end. The camming surface deflects the catch over the latch when the door is pushed closed. The hole in the catch is positioned and configured so that it captures the locked latch when the door is pushed fully closed. The catch is resilient enough to be elastically deflected over the latch. A guard over the latch shields it from being deflected by a finger or tool inserted through the mail slot by a thief. The pivot axis of the door is located with respect to the center of gravity of the door assembly so that the door is held in the closed but not locked position by gravity. The geometry of the latch and catch are such that the closing force produced by gravity can not overcome the resistance produced by the latch and catch so the door does not spontaneously move to the locked position. After the mail has been deposited, the mail carrier pushes the door fully closed which causes it to reach the locked position.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for mailboxes have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.